Amazing DIY stock cabinet transformation with chalk paint and glaze!

So since I have been playing with my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on my RV cabinets but still haven't finished I have no photos to share. So since I love chalk paint (Annie Sloan or homemade chalk paint) I wanted to share some inspiration.  Just so you know my DIY chalk paint is coming soon!!! Can't wait to show you the bath mirror/cabinet I used it on!

This amazing cabinet transformation from Simply Rooms goes through the process step by step so you can achieve the same thing.  I LOVE IT!!  I want to try this in my own bath if I ever get the time.  SO go check it out and learn some awesome techniques for how to achieve these cabinets with chalk paint and a dark walnut glaze.  AMAZING!!

Photo and instructions found at Simply Rooms.  WOW is all I have to say!

What have you painted with chalk paint?  Any techniques to share?

Trying out some Annie Sloan chalk paint on our RV cabinets!

The first day of summer arrived with a slightly cooler day, and a perfect opportunity to try out my new Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  If you haven't heard of Annie Sloan paint it is an amazing (and amazingly expensive!) paint that requires NO SANDING, NO PRIMING, NO PREP!!!  It is also low VOC, and water based for easier cleanup and a greener product all around.

You read it right... NO PREP WORK.  It adheres to metal, laminate, you name it!  It is only carried by special retailers in select cities so it is pretty hard to get your hands on.  My mom had tracked down a supplier in Monument Colorado Shades of Amber .. where we got a few colors to try.   They have a great store and are full of wonderful tips.  They have an online store as well.  Below is their ultimate chalk paint kit for sale online for $195.  A quart costs $37.  An investment for sure, but for my project well worth it.
My mom came over to help and I enlisted a babysitter to watch my 4 munchkins.  We only got about halfway through the project so no pictures yet, but they will come.  It was fun trying out a few techniques (whitewash, distressing, dry brushing), and it is so exciting to think what the inside of my '83 Toyota Dolphin RV will look like when we are done!  The cabinet paint job is just the start.  We have some laminate flooring, fabric, bead board, paint, and a few other bits and pieces coming to make over our RV currently decorated in "early ugly".  We started with the cabinets as a Father's Day gift for my husband who said "I am not sanding all those cabinets down!".  And with a little chalk paint it is true..he won't have to!  It is being done on a dime.  So far the only splurge has been this paint, but we have used less than one quart and with all the time and prep it has saved us it is well worth it.  The paint does go far.  I will keep you posted as to how it is coming!

Refreshing & Delicious Strawberry Mango Lime fruit salad!

I know that this is not a very complicated fruit salad, but the taste combinatioin is incredible.  So I had to share it!  I just went to Sams's club and they had great deals on the mangoes, the strawberries and the limes.  So to fend off a late night dessert attack last night I made this.

It was so delicious!! All you need is a handful of strawberries, a lime ( or just a wedge or two), and a champagne mango.

 I know some people are not familiar with the best way to cut a mango so I demonstrated it here.  It makes it much easier.  You simple cut off the two sides of the mango, leaving the slice with the seed as thin as possible.  Then as pictured below you score the mango first lengthwise and then width wise.

 When you are done you should be able to pop it inside out and have little chunks ready to go.  You can see that I cut a little too deep as you should not cut through the skin at all.  This is how we cut mango when we just eat the mango off the skin.  We drizzle with fresh lime and eat the chunks right off.

For the salad you follow the steps above to cut the mango then flick the chunks off with you thumb nail into the bowl.  Slice up your strawberries however you like and squeeze your lime wedges over the top.  That is it! Just stir it up and enjoy!

Simple, healthy and INCREDIBLY tasty!

A BIG list of fun learning websites to keep the learning going all summer long!

Here is a list of some great websites to keep the learning going all summer!  I got this list from my son's online school program.  Hope you enjoy it!  We have a summer schedule to keep the boredom away and keep the learning going strong all summer.  It includes 20 min of practicing a skill every day, 30 minutes of learning, 30 min of reading, and journaling every day.  That is only the learning portion there are some chores in there too, but this list makes a helpful addition to finding fun ways to spend those allotted time chunks.  He has his own chore chart with the above items on it so he can gauge where he is, and at the end of the week we earn a trip to dairy queen, the park, etc... for getting it all done.  Here you go!
For all subject areas and grade level specific topics:
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/grade_level_help.htm
http://www.iknowthat.com/com -You can use a trial session to do these games or sign up and pay for membership. It does have good interactive games to play.
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/ - great website for many different subjects
PBS Kids have some great shows and this website has great activities http://pbskids.org/
Language Arts/Phonics/Literature:
http://www.sachem.edu/dept/sd/Phonics%20Websites.htm - has links to some great websites hitting phonics
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/ -all grade levels has access to printable worksheets
www.starfall.com–great phonics website
http://www.professorgarfield.org/pgf_home.html
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/k_5/ -Houghton Mifflin Website
http://pbskids.org/wordgirl/index.html - from the PBS kids show Wordgirl
JumpStart Reading software: http://www.jumpstart.com/
Math:
3rd grade math: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me3us/flash/index.html?launch=true
5th grade math: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me5l/html/math5.html
6th grade math: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mesg/html/math6web/math6shell.html?launch=true
Good interactive websites:
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/
http://www.mathsisfun.com/
From the PBSkids show cyberchase:
http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/
www.ixl.com
Math fact websites:
http://themathworksheetsite.com/ -Practice those math facts this summer with printable sheets perfect for timed tests
www.multiplication.com –for timed tests in +, - and x
www.mathfactcafe.com – print off your own timed tests or practice math facts
http://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/math-trainer-multiply.html - online math quizzes for math facts
Summer Reading Ideas/Lists:
http://www.scholastic.com/summer/parents/
http://www.educationworld.com/summer_reading/
http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/
Great website for finding books by a theme: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/booksbytheme/
Writing:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/storystarters/storystarter1.htm
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/fairytales/
http://education-portal.com/articles/40_of_the_Best_Websites_for_Young_Writers.html - A great resource for anything and everything that has to do with writing

Bronchitis and the killer flu!

Wow, it has been too long since I posted.  I try to post a few times a week at least but I have gotten so sick this last week and a half.  It started with a flu, that turned into double ear infections, then worked it's way into my lungs to produce a NASTY case of bronchitis.  I was bed ridden the first 5 days,  and seem to still be stuck to the couch quite a bit but the junk in my lungs appears to be making it's exit.

I have been so blessed in the middle of this sickness.  My friends have really been helping out.  A doctor friend came late one night when I was worried my chest my tightening and breathing was more difficult.  He gave me a wonderful at home check up, listened to my lungs, confirmed the bronchitis, checked my ears, checked my oxygen levels (my main concern with baby on board), and gave me an amazing homeopathic to take every 20 minutes.  I have also had to eat a strict no dairy, no wheat,, no sugar diet to reduce any phlem, and drink water non stop.  It has been worth it though as I seem to be improving daily.  The doctor has been checking me out daily to make sure things are clearing properly, my dear friend has been cooking pots of chicken soup (2), running by the store and taking some of my children for me, and my mom has been helping to feed and watch kiddos as well.  I couldn't have asked for things to go better!  I would love to be all the way well, but in the meantime "Thank you Jesus for amazing friends!".

I am still trying to regain my strength and am currently sitting on the couch feeling zapped, surrounded by a dirty house, so it will be a few days for sure before I can write a fun post.  Thanks for the patience!